Nashville, TN….Bluegrass music’s premier indoor festival is just around the corner, and this year’s event celebrating the 100th birthday of the late Bill Monroe, the Father of Bluegrass Music, will definitely be one you don’t want to miss! Reserve your tickets now for IBMA’s Bluegrass Fan Fest, scheduled for Sept. 30 – October 2, 2011, at the Nashville Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee.
The star-studded grand finale of World of Bluegrass Week (Sept. 26 – Oct. 2) will present the talents of more than 60 headline acts on the Main Stage, the Masters Workshop Stage and at the Grand Master Fiddler Championship—thanks to the sponsorship of L.R. Baggs, Martin Guitars, Martha White, Knee Deep in Bluegrass and WSM-AM 650.
Performing artists confirmed at press time include Alison Krauss & Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas, The Grascals, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper, Dale Ann Bradley, J.D. Crowe & The New South, Larry Sparks & The Lonesome Ramblers, Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out, The Isaacs, Jesse McReynolds & The McReynolds Tradition, Lonesome River Band, Josh Williams Band, Larry Cordle & Lonesome Standard Time, Steep Canyon Rangers, Don Rigsby & Midnight Call, Jim Lauderdale, Joey + Rory, Ronnie Bowman, Sierra Hull & Highway 111, Marty Raybon & Full Circle, The Chapmans, Special Consensus, Balsam Range, Audie Blaylock & Redline, Grasstowne, The Boxcars, The Cleverlys, 18 South, The Expedition Show, Wayne Taylor & Appaloosa, Darrell Webb Band, Mike Scott, America’s Bluegrass Gospel Show, The Spinney Brothers, The Cherryholmes Brothers, NewTown, Mark Johnson & Emory Lester, Wil Maring & Robert Bowlin, Tiller’s Folly, Kids on Bluegrass… and many more!
In addition to the “cool factor” of breathing in some of the best live bluegrass music on the planet and meeting artists after their sets at their merch tables, Fan Fest attendees will enjoy visiting a bluegrass music-themed exhibit hall with more than 100 booths, taking part in a number of special promotions and giveaways, and of course there will be plenty of space for picking on all three levels of the Nashville Convention Center.
The music is amazing enough on its own, but along with that we’re also planning Celebrity Jams on Friday and Saturday mornings Sept. 30 and Oct. 1; a “Name that Blue Grass Boy” trivia competition for fans Saturday morning, Oct. 1 at 10:30 a.m.; and a slate of discussion groups and workshops on everything from sharing festival memories and photos, music licensing for events and pre-war banjos to a “Going on the Road without Letting Yourself Go” exercise session, strings and instrument set-up with break-out groups for individual instruments, recording acoustic instruments, the crosspicking guitar style of George Shuffler, how to start an instrument lending library, a session on what songwriters and writers can learn from the music of The Beatles, and a thought-provoking discussion led by The Infamous Stringduster’s Chris Pandolfi and Emilee Warner of Crash-Media on “big tent bluegrass”—the concept of welcoming bands and fans across the bluegrass-influenced spectrum from old-time music to jam grass.
On Friday, Sept. 30 at 3 p.m. former Blue Grass Boy Blake Williams, of The Expedition Show will host a special event called “Tell Us Your Bill Monroe Story.” Friends and colleagues of Monroe will be invited to get things rolling, and then we’ll open the mic to anyone in the room with a story or memory to share. We’ll be videotaping, with participant’s permission, for future use on Bluegrass Nation and the International Bluegrass Music Museum archives.
Proceeds from Fan Fest ticket sales benefit the Bluegrass Trust Fund, established to help bluegrass professionals during times of emergency need, as well as support IBMA’s educational and marketing efforts during the rest of the year. All artists appearing at Fan Fest donate their time and talents for the cause.
Advance tickets are on sale now, with discounts on three-day passes for members and non-members. Single day tickets and student tickets (with an ID) will be available at the gate, and children under 16 are admitted free with an adult.
Fans who want to get closest to the action are also encouraged to make hotel reservations early to get big discounts. One call to 877-256-4716 gets you access to the best rates and a variety of hotels near the festival, including the Renaissance Hotel attached to the convention center.
For more information on World of Bluegrass, including tickets to the International Bluegrass Music Awards, go to www.worldofbluegrass.org, join us on Facebook, or call 615-256-3222 (888-GET-IBMA). Tickets are on sale now at the website. For a video preview of World of Bluegrass, click here.
The International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) serves as the trade association for the bluegrass music industry, with members in all 50 states and 30 countries.
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